Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Manchester City are pleased to announce the opposition for two matches to be played during the Club’s summer tour of South Africa as part of the Nelson Mandela Football Invitational.
Manuel Pellegrini’s first game in charge of the Blues will be in Pretoria against Supersport United FC on 14 July at 3pm (2pm UK time) at Loftus Versfeld.
As pre-season preparations continue, City will then take on AmaZulu FC on 18 July at 8pm local time (7pm UK) at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban.
Ndaba Mandela, Chairman of Africa Rising and grandson of Nelson Mandela, said: “The Nelson Mandela Football Invitational it is fitting way to celebrate a larger than life icon. Africa Rising is proud to support what is undoubtedly going to be a magical moment. ”
Manchester City's Chief Executive Officer Ferran Soriano said: “We are very excited about visiting South Africa this summer to begin our preparations for the new season. As well as competing in two games we have chosen Durban as our base for our training camp. Supersport and AmaZulu will provide us with an excellent test and it is an exciting time for the club as Manuel Pellegrini takes charge of the team for the first time.
“South Africa showcased itself as a footballing nation in 2010 with a wonderful World Cup. They have first-rate facilities and a passionate footballing fanbase, and this trip will be a fantastic opportunity for us to train and compete in front of our African supporters.”

Flip on any highlight show and you're nearly sure to see them, with those peach-fuzz faces and boyish features beneath their big league caps.
Mike Trout makes a diving catch on the warning track.
Manny Machado whacks another double into the corner at Camden Yards.
Bryce Harper belts a tape-measure home run or barrels into a catcher ... or an outfield fence ... or whatever stands in his way.
The next generation of baseball stars has arrived -- straight from the senior prom, it seems -- and these guys are changing the complexion of the grand ol' game.
Derek Jeter is 39 and injured, left off the All-Star team for the first time in eight years.
Matt Harvey is 24 and merciless, with a polished array of breaking pitches to complement 98 mph heat.
"These guys are coming up now with incredible talent, these young players," National League manager Bruce Bochy said Monday at Citi Field, where the New York Mets are hosting the All-Star game for the first time since Shea Stadium opened in 1964. "I think they are just getting better, faster, bigger, stronger still, and it's impressive to watch."
No kidding.
Trout and Harper, the Rookies of the Year last season, are making their second trip to the All-Star game. This time, they will start Tuesday night after getting elected by fans with a fervor for the new boys of summer.
Some of baseball's best players are among the youngest on the field. Night after night, they put up unprecedented numbers and turn in spectacular plays that belie a birth certificate from the 1990s.
"It's good for the game," Trout said. "A lot of young guys are playing fearless and making a name for themselves at an early stage in their career."
Not only that, they move merchandise.
Jersey sales for Harvey, Harper and Trout rank among the top 10 this season based on purchases of Majestic tops at MLB.com, the league and the players' association said last week.
Harper is 20, and Trout is all of 21. Barely old enough to vote, let alone buy a drink.
Machado's jersey ranked eighth, one spot behind Jeter, even though the Baltimore third baseman has spent less than a year in the majors. That didn't stop him from earning his first All-Star selection on his 21st birthday.
"In today's era, young dudes are getting better and more prepared to come up to the big leagues," said Orioles teammate Adam Jones, an All-Star himself. "It's just an improvement in the game. These young dudes are phenoms, and he's put his name up there.
"He's probably more mature than I am, and I'm 27."
Machado was voted in by players, a significant sign of respect from his peers.
Well, mostly elders, actually. He certainly deserved it at a power-packed position after hitting 39 doubles in the first half, threatening the single-season record of 67 set by Earl Webb in 1931.
"Swing and hit the white ball coming at you. That's all it is," Machado said. "There's no secret to it."
Just like Little League, apparently. Sometimes he makes it look that easy, too. But take a swing around the majors and you see it's not only Trout, Harper and Machado.
There is Miami rookie Jose Fernandez, a 20-year-old All-Star with a Cy Young future. Don't forget lefty Patrick Corbin (23), who is 11-1 with a 2.35 ERA for Arizona. And second-year shortstop Jean Segura in Milwaukee, who leads the NL in hits at age 23.
"I feel pretty good when they compare me with those guys," Segura said about his place among baseball's new breed.
Then there's Harvey, the New York Mets ace with 29 major league starts to his name. His next one will be Tuesday night on his home mound opposite Detroit Tigers right-hander Max Scherzer.
"For me, he's the best pitcher in the game," Diamondbacks outfielder Cody Ross said this month. "Not even just in the National League. He's really good. I faced a lot of those guys in the American League last year and I can't say that I saw anyone better than him.
"His mound presence is as good as you'll see."
There are 12 All-Stars this season 24 or younger, seven in the National League. That's the most since a dozen were selected in 1993, according to STATS -- a group that included Ken Griffey Jr., Mike Piazza, Gary Sheffield, Mike Mussina and Juan Gonzalez.
The only player from that bunch under 23 was 21-year-old catcher Ivan Rodriguez. This year, there are four.
That doesn't include Los Angeles Dodgers sensation Yasiel Puig, left out of the game after six electric weeks in the big leagues at 22. More to come from him, for sure.
"Every guy that you just mentioned plays the game hard, plays it the right way every day. It's so much fun to be part of that," Harper said.
"I'm not going to back off the throttle at all. I'm full speed every day."
In all, 12 players who qualified as rookies last season made the All-Star team this year. So much for sophomore slumps.
"There's definitely a different breed of ballplayer coming out," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said last weekend. "This seems to be one of those cycles where a lot of young players are flashing quick."
Although fresh faces are taking over, that doesn't mean all the old guys are out. Mariano Rivera, Torii Hunter, Carlos Beltran and Bartolo Colon are back at the Midsummer Classic, bringing decades of experience and wisdom.
And what impresses veterans the most about this crop of young stars is the way they carry themselves on and off the field. Harper occasionally flashes a hot temper with Washington, but opponents predominantly praise them for their all-around skill and steady performance.
"It's different from when I first came up. Just the attention, the media coverage, the pressure," said Twins catcher Joe Mauer, a No. 1 draft pick who made his first All-Star appearance at 23. "To keep everything in perspective and go out there and do your job every day and stay consistent is really what makes it pretty special.
"A lot of guys can come up and have immediate success right away and the league can kind of figure you out a little bit. But those guys keep going day after day and keep producing."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi is reminded of the mid-90s when Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Nomar Garciaparra all broke in at shortstop in the American League.
"It is kind of amazing the level that these young guys are playing," Girardi said.
Making them just the sort of stars baseball wants to build around.
"I like the fact that they play the game the right way. They seem to get it," Minnesota general manager Terry Ryan said. "They're gifted, they're energetic. It's good to see a young, up-and-coming player that represents not only their franchise well but the game well."

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Dwight Howard is Houston-bound, after all.
The All-Star center told. Smith on Friday night that he will leave the Los Angeles Lakers and sign a free-agent contract with the Rockets after the league lifts its annual moratorium on player business Wednesday.
Howard confirmed his decision on Twitter.

Howard said he feels the Rockets give him the best chance at winning his first NBA title.
"[A championship is] the priority. That's the priority. [Shoot], I'm betting $30 million on it," Howard told in a phone interview Friday night, referencing the amount of money he likely will leave on the table by bolting Los Angeles for Houston.
"I just looked at both teams and I felt like Houston was going in one direction -- they got a lot of young players, they got a good coach in Kevin McHale and I just felt like having him as a coach, he could really help me in the post and help me develop like I want to. That was mainly the big reason right there, and having the opportunity to grow with a team, a young team, like the Rockets. That's the reason why [I decided to leave]."

Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said Howard informed the organization that he would not return to Los Angeles.
"Naturally we're disappointed," Kupchak said in a statement on the team's website. "However, we will now move forward in a different direction with the future of the franchise and, as always, will do our best to build the best team possible, one our great Lakers fans will be proud to support. To Dwight, we thank him for his time and consideration, and for his efforts with us last season. We wish him the best of luck on the remainder of his NBA career."
Earlier, a source told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard that Howard had contacted the Lakers, telling them he was 50-50 on his decision to sign with either them or the Rockets. That call came hours after a person from his camp informed the team that he would not re-sign with Los Angeles, according to the source.
"He changed his mind," the source said. "Hey, he's Dwight. What can you say."
Sources said Howard had a possible change of heart because of the extra $30 million he would be leaving on the table if he signed with Houston. The Lakers could have given Howard a five-year deal worth $118 million while Houston can offer $88 million over four years. The deal will reportedly include an early termination option in the fourth year, giving Howard the chance to become a free agent again after the 2015-16 season.
After thinking about it on the flight, a source told ESPNLosAngeles.com, Howard felt solid about leaving Los Angeles for Houston and called Kupchak to inform him of his decision.
Howard said he's happy the process is finished.
"I'm relieved," Howard said. "Now I can just really concentrate on what I've been trying to concentrate on all summer, just getting better."
Howard ended up spending just one season with the Lakers, averaging 17.1 points and 12.4 rebounds in 76 games.
"It was tough," Howard said of leaving Los Angeles. "I enjoyed, for the most part, living here in L.A. I just really think the timing in L.A., it wasn't right for me. Maybe two years ago, or 2-3 years from now, it would have been the right time. But I just think right now the timing was off for me. That's not saying that L.A. is a bad place, but I just think it's all about timing and fit when you're talking about basketball. You can put anybody together on the court and expect them to win, but the pieces have to really fit in order for a team to be successful and it was very, very tough, man. It's probably one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make in my life."
A Lakers source in the team's pitch meeting for Howard last Tuesday said they felt Howard essentially had "made up his mind" before even meeting with them and described him as "emotionless."
Another Lakers source said "we felt like we were wasting our time" in the meeting.
Howard told an additional source that the main reason he was leaving the Lakers was because he wasn't comfortable playing for coach Mike D'Antoni. Sources told ESPN that D'Antoni said few words to Howard when he met the Lakers earlier this week, which affected the center's decision to leave.
"I think that we had our moments, but I think that his style was a little bit different than what I was accustomed to, but I don't want to blame any of that on the coach as the reason why I'm leaving," Howard told ESPNLosAngeles.com on Friday night.
A source also said Howard did not want to play 3-4 more years as a sidekick on Kobe Bryant's team, especially in a D'Antoni system that would rely heavily on 39-year-old point guard Steve Nash.
Howard, though, refuted talk that he was unwilling to coexist with Bryant.
"That was not a factor," he said. "I just felt like everything in Houston was right for me. It's a great opportunity. Me and James Harden together I think can be really, really unbelievable. We get the opportunity to really grow together. I've been a superstar in this league and I feel like me and him together can just really grow and be a dominant force together in the NBA as long as we're healthy. That was really the key to me. It had nothing to do with what Kobe did."

Andy Murray is only three sets away from championship. The only thing standing in his way is the best player in the world.
Murray will meet Novak Djokovic in the final of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships. Here's when and where you can find the men's final.

Although he'll be the underdog, Murray did beat Djokovic en route to gold at the 2012 Olympics—which were at the All England Club—and in the final of the 2012 US Open.
This could be one of the most famous matches in British tennis history. No British male has won Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.
No matter what the outcome, this should be a thrilling match.
Here is a breakdown of the positives and negatives for each player going into the final.

Djokovic is the best player on the planet. When he's at his best, nobody can touch the 26-year-old. Djokovic had a bit of a hard time on grass in the past. This year, though, you've seen him make the necessary adjustments to ensure that he's as good of a player on grass as he is on other surfaces.
One of Djokovic's best assets is his ability to go from defense to offense in one shot. Right when Murray thinks he has the advantage, the Djoker can hit a vicious shot that changes outcome of the point.
Djokovic also has the ability to win more cheap points with his powerful groundstrokes.
If Murray can turn each point and, in turn, the match into a grind, he has a very good chance of pulling off the upset. But Djokovic is playing his best offensive tennis, he may be able to win this match in fewer than five sets.

As stated earlier, fatigue could turn into a major issue. Djokovic won't be that far removed from a tough five-set win over Juan Martin del Potro on Friday. If Murray can make Djokovic run from sideline to sideline, he might be able to tire Djokovic tire out as the match goes on.
Power is one of the things that makes Djokovic so good. On grass, though, some of that power is softened, which should allow Murray to stay in more points.

Possibly the biggest thing going for Murray isn't anything that has to do with him as a player. As a Briton, he'll firmly have the crowd in his favor. Murray is an emotional player, so it will be great to have that much of a groundswell backing him.
This is perhaps the strongest Murray has been at Wimbledon. He's had his low points, but he's overcome them with strong tennis.
Murray's defense and accuracy have been superb so far. He won't be able to match Djokovic's strength, but Murray can no doubt work the world's No. 1 around the court and tire him out, all the while taking his best blows.

As an emotional player, Murray can sometimes let the match get away from him. A run of bad points can lead to a run of bad games, which can then lead to a bad set. He's kept it in check for the most part, but the problem could arise again.
Murray can't afford to let his frustration get the better of him. Djokovic is going to have his runs. Withstanding the onslaught and still coming out strong will be key for Murray.
There are many things that have to go right for Murray to win. He'll really have to hit his shots perfectly from the baseline to get Djokovic moving so he doesn't have time to blast winners.
Even if Murray plays his best, it might not be enough. He'll need some slip-ups from Djokovic. You can't feel good about a player's chances when he has to rely on the best player in the world messing up.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Sabine Lisicki guaranteed her place in the final after a battling three-set victory over Agnieszka Radwanska on Centre Court.
The German set up a Saturday showdown for the title against Marion Bartoli by outlasting the Polish fourth seed 9-7 in the third and final set to seal victory 6-4 2-6 9-7 overall.
The 23rd seed had caused the shock of the women's draw at this year's Wimbledon by dumping Serena Williams out of the event, and she followed up by making it all the way to the final.
Behind her booming serve and aggressive ground strokes, Lisicki powered to the first set and looked well in control of matters, before Radwanska started to get a foothold in the contest.
The Pole was more consistent and soon Lisicki's attacking shots were missing their mark and as errors crept into her game, Radwanska levelled to send the semi-final into a third and final set.
Radwanska grabbed an early break and a 3-0 lead in the third set as she rattled off nine games out of ten to firmly move onto the front foot.
Lisicki conjured up a break of her own to level at 3-3 and then broke again in the ninth game to go 5-4 ahead and serve for a place in the final.
Radwanska was not done though, and at the fourth time of asking managed to break right back and draw the match level once again, with both then holding serve to make it 6-6.
The pressure was mounting but both managed to hold serve until Lisicki found an extra gear in the 15th game of an extended set to finally break again and serve for the match once again at 8-7.
This time the German made no mistake with some trademark big serves putting her 40-0 ahead in the game, before sealing her spot in the final by taking the second match point.
"It's unbelievable. The last few games were so exciting," said a smiling Lisicki.
"We were fighting, Agnieszka played so well throughout the match.
"It was a battle. I'm so happy to have won that.
"I fought with all my heart and believed I could still win no matter what the score was."
Lisicki was in a similar situation in her fourth-round match against Williams, winning in three after squandering a one-set lead.
"It was a little bit like that in the third set when I was down 3-0," Lisicki added on the BBC.
"I thought, 'Okay, you did it against Serena so you can do it today as well'.
"It gave me so much confidence. I'm so, so happy I was able to finish it.
"Wimbledon is my favourite tournament, I love it so much and I love being in England. I cannot believe I'm in the final."

Earlier, Bartoli took just 62 minutes to reach her second Wimbledon final with a 6-1 6-2 victory over Kirsten Flipkens.
The Frenchwoman, runner-up to Venus Williams six years ago, completely overwhelmed a Belgian opponent who had not previously been beyond the fourth round of a Grand Slam before this year's tournament at the All England Club.
Bartoli reeled off 23 winners as Flipkens' frequent attempts to come to the net more often than not ended with the ball flashing back past her.
Flipkens has climbed to 20th in the world after a blood clot problem last year caused her to take two months out of the game, but her inexperience in the latter stages of the major tournaments was brutally exposed.
Bartoli set the tone in the second game as a backhand winner brought up two break points and a long Flipkens backhand sealed the early advantage.
Warm applause greeted Flipkens when she put her first game on the board by holding serve, but Bartoli then won three straight games to wrap up the first set in under half an hour.
Flipkens had beaten former champion Petra Kvitova in the last eight but by the start of the second set it was clear this match was a bridge too far as Bartoli raced into a 2-0 lead.
Another simple break of serve put her three games to the good, with Flipkens then getting some temporary respite as she was seen to by the trainer for an apparent knee problem.
It seemed to do her good as she claimed her first and only break straight afterwards, but she dropped her own serve next up as Bartoli ended any hopes of a comeback.
Flipkens did manage to delay the inevitable with one more service hold, but Bartoli soon served the match out.
"I slept right before the semi-final. You can ask the physio in the locker room," Bartoli told the BBC.
"I slept from 12pm to 12.30pm, right before going on, and you can see I was razor-sharp today.
"Maybe tonight it will be hard to sleep but I will be having fun tomorrow."
Flipkens confirmed her knee problem had flared up, but she said: "I'm not going to use it as an excuse. Marion played an amazingly good match.''
A fall in the first set had seemed inconsequential at the time, even to Flipkens.
"At that moment I didn't feel it but a couple of games later I started to feel a really sharp pain,'' she said. "It definitely needs a rest.
"All credit to her today for the way she played. I tried everything but it didn't work out.''